Boba Fett has distinctive armor. With its Beskar steel and green, red, and gold color scheme, his armor provides a mystique to this famous bounty hunter.
How did Boba Fett get his armor? The answer is twofold. Originally he got his armor from his father, Jango Fett. But Boba Fett also lost this armor and struggled to get it back.
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How Did Jango Fett Get His Armor?
To find out how Boba Fett got his armor, we need to first understand how his father Jango Fett acquired it. Mandalorians are the species who use Beskar steel armor. So, it may be confusing why Jango Fett had this type of armor.
Jango Fett was a human foundling of the warriors of Mandalore.
Jango Fett was born on the planet Concord Dawn, located in a galaxy controlled by the Mandalorians. Jango’s early background is largely unknown, but we do know that he became a human foundling of the warriors of Mandalore.
Jango Fett is considered to be a Mandalorian because of his adoption by them. He also pledged himself to a Mandalorian clan. Based on the Mandalorians way of life, foundlings are Mandalorians even if they were not born that way.
Jango acquired his Beskar steel armor the way other Mandalorians do. He earned it through his combat skills and by becoming a warrior. Jango proved his fighting abilities in the Mandalorian Civil War, which was central to gaining his armor.
Jango was first a Mandalorian warrior and then became a bounty hunter. In fact, Jango Fett was known as the best bounty hunter in the galaxy during the final phase of the Galactic Republic.
Jango made proficient use of his Mandalorian armor, which included a flamethrower and jetpack. The armor’s most important feature is its Beskar steel, an almost indestructible alloy from the planet Mandalore. This steel can fend off most blaster fire, and can even hold up against a lightsaber.
Jango also provided the genetic code to build the clone troopers for the Grand Army of the Republic–later turned stormtroopers. Jango was partially compensated for providing his DNA with an unaltered clone son, Boba Fett.
At a young age, Boba began to follow his father and work for the incipient Empire. Boba and Jango aided in the fall of the Jedi.
How Did Boba Fett Originally Get His Armor?
In Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones, Jango Fett faces off with Mace Windu in a lightsaber duel.
Jango’s jetpack had been damaged and his WESTAR-34 blasters could not contend with Windu’s lightsaber. In the end, Windu lands a precision blow and decapitates Jango.
After his father’s death, Boba Fett runs into the arena and claims the armor. He continues on to become a bounty hunter like his father, but had the armor repainted with the distinctive green, red, and gold colors along with a Mythosaur insignia.
For many years Boba Fett worked as a bounty hunter, including hunting down the Millenium Falcon and Han Solo for Darth Vader. Somewhere along the way, most likely in a duel with bounty hunter Cad Bane, Boba garnered the distinctive dent on his helmet.
However, in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Fett is accidentally pushed off a barge where a battle ensued and falls into the Sarlacc pit on Tatooine. Audiences were made to believe he died.
Yet, The Mandalorian television series reveals that Boba Fett survived the Sarlacc pit. The strong Beskar steel is the most likely reason he was able to survive inside the stomach of the Sarlaac.
Boba used his flamethrower while inside the Sarlacc and managed to crawl out. But then Jawas took his armor while he lay near death on the desert ground.
How Did Boba Fett Get His Armor Back?
After the Empire’s defeat, following the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi, the Jawas sold Boba Fett’s armor to Cobb Vanth.
As The Mandalorian series also reveals, Vanth is the marshall of Mos Pelgo on Tatooine, who had been using the armor to protect the people living there.
But when Din Djarin, or the Mandalorian, comes to Mos Pelgo, he demands the return of the armor to its rightful owners–the Mandalorians.
At first resisting, Vanth ends up working with Din Djarin to defeat the feared krayt dragon that had been terrorizing Mos Pelgo.
In return for Din Djarin’s help, Vanth gives the armor to the Mandalorian. However, we soon discover that Boba Fett is still alive and wishes to recover his armor.
With the help of Fennec Shand, a female bounty hunter and assassin, Fett first searches for his armor at the Sarlacc pit. Not finding it there, Fett learns that his armor is in the hands of Din Djarin.
Boba Fett confronts Din Djarin on the planet Tython, and it looks likely they will battle over the armor. However, the remnant forces of the Empire under Moff Gideon arrive and a skirmish occurs.
During the fighting, Boba Fett retrieves his armor from Din Djarin’s ship, the Razor Crest.
Instead of leaving, Boba Fett returns to the skirmish and helps successfully end it. Since Fett helped to defeat the Imperial forces and provides the armor’s chain code, Din Djarin concedes to Fett’s claim on the armor.
Lord Boba Fett and His Armor
With his armor secured again, Boba Fett goes on to displace Bib Fortuna to rule Jabba’s former palace on Tatooine. This is the starting point of The Book of Boba Fett television series.
Getting his armor turned out to be quite an ordeal. Fett originally acquired it after his father was killed in battle. Next, he lost it when he fell into the Sarlaac pit. Then, he managed to escape from the Sarlacc pit, only to have the armor taken from him.
Fett ultimately had to track his armor down from the Mandalorian and engage in battle to win it back.
Now, he uses it to keep the peace on Tatooine.
Todd Wahlstrom is a creative and analytical freelance writer and life-long Star Wars fan. He has covered such topics as Darth Vader, the Jedi, Boba Fett, and AT-AT Walkers. Todd has published a non-fiction book, holds a Ph.D. in history, and enjoys hiking, running, and reading about science.